Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was evacuated from a demonstration in the West Bank on Friday, after Israeli soldiers fired teargas and rubber bullets at those protesting against an Israeli barrier. Palestinians say dozens were injured.

Fayyad was treated at the scene for teargas exposure, Israeli
radio reported. Mohammed Samhan of the Red Crescent humanitarian
organization told the Times of Israel that dozens of Palestinian
protesters were also treated for injuries.

The rally, which took place in the village of Bil’in, marks
eight years of protest against a barrier which was erected by
Israel. Some 200 demonstrators took part in the protest, marching
on the edge of the fence.

Palestinians say the fence cuts off around 530 square kilometers
of Palestinian land into Israeli territory. However, Israel says
the wall is a necessary measure to deter Palestinian violence
against Israeli civilians, citing a decrease in attacks since it
was erected. The fence was built following a wave of violence last
decade.

During the protest, several young demonstrators began throwing
stones at nearby IDF soldiers, prompting them to respond with crowd
dispersal methods, Ynet News reported. An Israeli soldier was
lightly wounded from the rock-throwing and treated at the scene,
according to Israeli radio.

Before being led away by his bodyguards, Fayyad addressed the
marchers, saying that Bil’in had become “a shining example of
popular resistance against the occupation, the settlements, and the
fence.” In recent years, Bil’in has been the site of weekly
demonstrations protesting against the security barrier.

The procession was attended by other senior Palestinian
officials, including Parliament members and the Ramallah
governor.

Participants also marched for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
jails, demanding the release of those on hunger strikes. They
warned of a backlash if any of the inmates died. It was the third
protest in aid of Palestinian prisoners to take place this
week.

Riots also erupted in other West Bank locations on Friday, with
hundreds of Palestinian protesters throwing rocks at Israeli
security forces in Hawara. Minor clashes also took place in Abu
Dis.

Last Sunday and Monday, protests across the West Bank flared up,
after Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat died in jail. The
Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of torturing Jaradat to
death, although Tel Aviv says the man died of cardiac arrest.